17 Best Crime Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 17 best crime books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Crime books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best crime books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
17 Best Crime Books
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In Cold Blood
Also recommended by
3 people
Ben Shapiro recommended this bookBen Shapiro
"Truman Capote's best book. It's a really, really good book." - Ben Shapiro
Ben Shapiro's recommendation of this book 
Sam Harris recommended this bookSam Harris
"If you just want to forget about the future and lose yourself in the book that forever changed how narrative nonfiction is written, read [this book]." - Sam Harris
Sam Harris's recommendation of this book 
Tim Draper recommended this bookTim Draper
"My [mother] recommended [this book]." - Tim Draper
Tim Draper's recommendation of this book
Killers of the Flower Moon
The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Also recommended by
3 people
John Legend recommended this bookJohn Legend
John Legend mentioned this book on Twitter.
John Legend's recommendation of this book 
Jacqueline Novogratz recommended this bookJacqueline Novogratz
"Reads like a novel while giving a deeper understanding of both the good and the terrible that humans are capable of." - Jacqueline Novogratz
Jacqueline Novogratz's recommendation of this book 
Peter King recommended this bookPeter King
"I can’t recommend the history and the gripping murder story enough." - Peter King
Peter King's recommendation of this book
The Devil in the White City
Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Also recommended by
1 person
Edgar Wright recommended this bookEdgar Wright
Edgar Wright recommended this book on Twitter.
Edgar Wright's recommendation of this book
I'll Be Gone in the Dark
One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective
Just Mercy
A Story of Justice and Redemption
Also recommended by
4 people
Howard Schultz recommended this bookHoward Schultz
"Perhaps one of the most powerful and important stories of our time." - Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz's recommendation of this book 
Cory Booker recommended this bookCory Booker
"Takes you out of where you probably are and lets you look into a window of aspects of our society that are really important." - Cory Booker
Cory Booker's recommendation of this book 
Richard Branson recommended this bookRichard Branson
Richard Branson recommended this book on his "70 must-read books" blog post.
Richard Branson's recommendation of this book 
Kathryn Minshew recommended this bookKathryn Minshew
"A wildly good book." - Kathryn Minshew
Kathryn Minshew's recommendation of this book
And Then There Were None
Also recommended by
2 people
Stephen King recommended this bookStephen King
"Lots of murders, but relatively bloodless. And a great mystery." - Stephen King
Stephen King's recommendation of this book 
Rian Johnson recommended this bookRian Johnson
"Her best book." - Rian Johnson
Rian Johnson's recommendation of this book
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Millennium, Book 1
Also recommended by
2 people
Charles Koch recommended this bookCharles Koch
Charles Koch recommended this book on his website.
Charles Koch's recommendation of this book 
James Clear recommended this bookJames Clear
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear
James Clear's recommendation of this book
Columbine
Helter Skelter
The True Story of the Manson Murders
Lost Girls
An Unsolved American Mystery
My Dark Places
Party Monster
A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland
Presumed Innocent
A Novel
Strangers on a Train
The Poisoner's Handbook
Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
The Stranger Beside Me
Sources
- 1
The 16 Best True Crime Books Of All Time | Time
time.com
- 2
25 Best True Crime Books of All Time — Books About Murder
rd.com
- 3
26 Best True Crime Books of All Time - Top Nonfiction Crime Books
esquire.com
- 4
Art801the Best Crime Books Ever Written.Aspx
prowritingaid.com
- 5
100 Best Crime Books of All Time, As Chosen By Readers - Dead Good
deadgoodbooks.co.uk
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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